Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-12-16
A COURAG EOUS AND TRUE
FRIEND,

FRIEND.
One cannot we'll help admiring the DEM
ocratic party for the courage of its con-
victions which it always displays. For
nearly twenty years it kept up one steady,
persistent assault on the Republican CEN
traliZation party until it at last drove 1t
out of the government. 1t has been the
only friend Virginia had 10 releasing he
from the usurping DEGREES of Judge Bond.
1t is almost Enthusiastically un-
questionable from the utterances OF the
Republican leaders and press of this State
that if their party had been in power the
State would have been surrendered to
Bond and the creditors, al d debt OF ne IT.
iy 500, 600 ,OOO IN addition to the sum fix d
nv The Riudleberger bill, been fixed on
Virginia. WEen the Democrats TOOK
that bill into their platform Jney comm AL
ced fight for il Chat should not be TO
gotten by the people of VuRinla. The,
passed supplementary legislation to en-
force it; they pushed The State collectln.
officers to their duty; they passed q bill .
Indemnify every State officer who suffere
nlm; when one measure failed they passed
another, and finally they wound up
John s. Wise bDasted at HarrisOnbur
with the State officers in jail" Tn
had never falteled lii the fight. They b j..
founded their fight on the constitution
the country and they hoped to carry it .
as long as that constitution remained n
altered. What rights State had under IL
they intended to have even it the way la
behind prison bars. 1t is difficult to avo u
contrasting the attitude Of the Republican
party to the Old Mother Common wealth
during all this weary fight. Its stock in
trade from the mutation of it was carping
at the Virginian powers and abjecg sub
serviency to the Federal Judge. In the
moments of the States sorest distress 1t ap-
plauded the usurper Bond and derided
the efforts of the Democratic party to save
the Virginia people from twenty mil
lions of additional debt. Prominent Re-
publlcans were publishing letters encour-
aging coupon rendering in order to Grip
pie Virginia. Republican lawyers and po-
litcal managers were taking the agency
for Cooper, the speculator, and pushing
his COUPONS into the hands of the tax pay
ers. Republican journals were making
the efforts of the State to free herself FROM
d burden which must have increased taxa
tion, a subject of ridicule, and when at
last in defence of their State her, officers
We're sent to d common jail, tnat same
press made them an object of derislon.
No Virginia voter should fail to 60
back over the history of this fight. Il
would give him clearer idea of the grea,
danger Of entrusting power to party
which believes in coDtI alizAGion. 1t is d
history which should teach Virgiuians
chat this Capitalization idea is one that may
affect the action of the iumblest county
officer of State; for when the last scene OF
tue struggle before Judge Boud Was
reached, the Republican Commemorative
Attorney of WyJhe gave up the cause Oh
cue State, surrendered to the usurpe
Bond, and marked his judgments satisfied =!
1t is history that marks the import
aucs of having every officer of Virginia
40 matter how humble or how high, d
Democrat-a believer in The Constitution
OF the United States and the rights of the
States guaranteed therein. Had the Be-
publican party been in power in Virginia
III the last two years, the legislature which
mas just met at Richmond would to-da,
oe preparing a tax bill to false the tax Is
sufficiently to secure enough revenue to
pay nearly two million dollars of Interest
per aunum. Whenever the Republican
leaders appear before the voters OF Vir-
glnia, asking for their support, tue history
Ut their party in connection With the
maintenance of the rights of the State;
che support of the Riddleberger bill, ana
the relief of the State from an absolutely
destructive rate of taxation should be
gone over. And at the same time should
The courage, the good faith, and the IN
vincible persistence of the Democratic
party be brought to mind. These things
will be pleasant to remember hereafter
for a Democrat.